A proponent of Cubism, Metzinger was a member of the Puteaux Group of artists and coauthor of the 1912 book Du Cubisme. This painting is part of a series of still lifes from 1916–19 characterized by distorted space, strongly defined planes, and broad shapes rendered in flat colors. A close examination of the work reveals a number of easily identifiable objects on the table, including a vase with flowers, a glass with an absinthe spoon, a copy of the newspaper L’Heure, and a playing card.
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Inscription: Signed and dated (lower right): Metzinger/ 11-17
[Léonce Rosenberg (Galerie "L'Effort Moderne"), Paris, probably by 1918]; [Galerie Fricker, Paris, until 1957; sold in 1957 to Hazen]; Joseph H. Hazen, New York (1957–59; sold, by exchange, in 1959 to New York); [New Gallery, New York, 1959; sold to MMA]
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "The Cubist Epoch," December 15, 1970–February 21, 1971, no. 215 (as "Still Life").
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Cubist Epoch," April 9–June 7, 1971, no. 215.
Iowa City. University of Iowa Museum of Art. "Jean Metzinger in Retrospect," August 31–October 13, 1985, no. 89 (as "Still Life," 1911–17).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Selection Three: Twentieth-Century Art," October 22, 1985–January 26, 1986, no catalogue (as "Still Life").
Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas at Austin. "Jean Metzinger in Retrospect," November 10–December 22, 1985, no. 89.
David and Alfred Smart Gallery, University of Chicago. "Jean Metzinger in Retrospect," January 23–March 9, 1986, no. 89.
Pittsburgh. Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute. "Jean Metzinger in Retrospect," March 29–May 25, 1986, no. 89.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Painters in Paris: 1895–1950," March 8–December 31, 2000, extended to January 14, 2001, unnumbered cat. (p. 39).
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. "Picasso and the School of Paris: Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," September 14–November 24, 2002, no. 24.
Tokyo. Bunkamura Museum of Art. "Picasso and the School of Paris: Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York," December 7, 2002–March 9, 2003, no. 24.
Roslyn Harbor, N. Y. Nassau County Museum of Art. "Picasso and the School of Paris," November 19, 2006–February 4, 2007, unnumbered cat. (p. 7).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Masterpieces of French Art Deco," August 4, 2009–January 23, 2011, no catalogue.
"Layman's Guide to French Art Exhibition: How to Appreciate Moderns [Don't be Hostile]." The Sun [Sydney] (March 1, 1953), p. 40, ill., calls it "Still Life".
Carlton Lake and Robert Maillard, ed. Dictionary of Modern Painting. New York, 1956, ill. p. 185, call it "Still Life".
Charles Sterling and Margaretta M. Salinger. French Paintings: A Catalogue of the Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vol. 3, XIX–XX Centuries. New York, 1967, pp. 238–39, ill., call it "Still Life".
Enrico d'Anna. Tabacco storia arte. Rome, 1983, ill. p. 251 (color).
Joann Moser. Jean Metzinger in Retrospect. Exh. cat., University of Iowa Museum of Art. Iowa City, 1985, p. 45, no. 89, ill. p. 73, calls it "Still Life" and dates it 1911–17.
William S. Lieberman. "Les Peintres de Paris à New York." Connaissance des arts no. 578 (December 2000), p. 130.
William S. Lieberman inPicasso and the School of Paris: Paintings from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Exh. cat., Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. [Tokyo], 2002, pp. 57, 91, 167, no. 24, ill. p. 69 (color).
Glenn Adamson inShapes from Out of Nowhere: Ceramics from the Robert A. Ellison Jr. Collection. Exh. cat., The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York, 2021, p. 11, fig. 8 (color).
Alexander Mittelmann. Catalogue Raisonné. Online resource [jeanmetzinger.art/jean-metzinger-catalogue-raisonne/], 2024 (accessed), AM-17-021 Jean Metzinger, ill. (color).
Georges Braque (French, Argenteuil 1882–1963 Paris)
1906–7
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